A Man Called Ove
Fredrik Backman
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
4.40
· 86 ratings · 357 pages · Published: 27 Aug 2012
Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon—the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him “the bitter neighbor from hell.” But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn’t walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?
Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.
A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, Fredrik Backman’s novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others. “If there was an award for ‘Most Charming Book of the Year,’ this first novel by a Swedish blogger-turned-overnight-sensation would win hands down” (Booklist, starred review).
Tagged as:
- europe 3
- scandinavia 3
- sweden 3
- contemporary 3
- funny 3
- literary fiction 3
- realistic 3
- friendship 3
- drama 2
- family 2
- grief 2
- comedy 2
- on the move 2
- aging 2
- classics 1
- sad 1
- lgbtq+ 1
- cats 1
- animals 1
- action / adventure 1
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- format - reader age
- audiobook 3
- young adult 1
- book 1
- content warnings
- death / grief 2
- mental illness 2
- suicide / suicidal ideation 2